Pep Guardiola sees this weekend’s Manchester derby as crucial to maintaining his City side’s momentum.

The champions have long accepted they cannot defend their Premier League title this season but their challenge on other fronts is still alive.

Last week city won the Carabao Cup for a third successive year and they also have their sights set on retaining the FA Cup and winning the Champions League.

They are already through to the quarter-finals of the former – and will face Newcastle later this month – while they are also on course to reach the last eight of the latter after beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

With City comfortable in second place in the Premier League, this weekend’s trip to Old Trafford would seem to be more important for the hosts, but that does not diminish Guardiola’s appetite for the derby contest.